T hin-fi lm technology is widely implemented in numerous applications 1. Although fl at substrates are commonly used, we report on the advantages of using curved surfaces as a substrate. Th e curvature induces a lateral fi lm-thickness variation that allows alteration of the properties of the deposited material 2,3 . Based on this concept, a variety of implementations in materials science can be expected. As an example, a topographic pattern formed of spherical nanoparticles 4,5 is combined with magnetic multilayer fi lm deposition. Here we show that this combination leads to a new class of magnetic material with a unique combination of remarkable properties: Th e so-formed nanostructures are monodisperse, magnetically isolated, single-domain, and reveal a uniform magnetic anisotropy with an unexpected switching behaviour induced by their spherical shape. Furthermore, changing the deposition angle with respect to the particle ensemble allows tailoring of the orientation of the magnetic anisotropy, which results in tilted nanostructure material.

We derive an expression for the temporal development of circular holes formed spontaneously in dewetting liquid films. Our formula is shown to interpolate between the known limiting cases of perfect sticking (purely viscous dissipation) and full slippage of the film on the substrate. Good agreement between experiment and theory is found. By fitting the theroetical curves to the data, we can derive the relative importance of slip in the dewetting process.

The variation of a magnetic field as a function of depth beneath the surface of an YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) thin film in the Meissner state has been measured using low energy muons. The depth of implantation was varied from 20-150 nm by tuning the energy of the implanted muons from 3-30 keV. These are direct measurements of the penetration of a magnetic field beneath a superconducting surface which illustrate the power of low energy muons for near surface studies in superconductivity and magnetism.

We have measured the melting temperature of nanoscale indium islands on a WSe(2) substrate using perturbed angular correlations combined with scanning tunneling microscopy. The indium islands are self-assembled nanostructures whose diameter can vary between about 5 and 100 nm, depending on deposition conditions. The melting point decreases due to surface energies as the islands get smaller. This decrease depends on the faceting of the crystalline nanostructures and interactions between the islands and the substrate.